Why Michigan’s nighttime thunderstorms brought ten times more lightning than usual

Last night, thunderstorms swept across Southern Michigan, bringing with them heavy rain and numerous lightning strikes. One unique feature of these storms was the lightning, particularly the type of lightning that was observed.

Did you know that there are different types of lightning? While all lightning is incredibly dangerous and should be taken seriously, one type is particularly unique and indicates a more severe thunderstorm.

It’s called a “positive lightning strike” storm, and it caused a lot of excitement in Michigan overnight.

Ingham County Emergency Management determined that a particular lightning strike in the East Lansing area after midnight was a real blast.

“Most lightning bolts are ‘negatively charged’ and have a current of 5,000 to 10,000 amps (that’s a lot),” said emergency personnel. “The bolt east of Meridian Mall that woke up most of the county was a ‘positive bolt’ with over 70,000 amps!”

Lightning is caused by the difference in electrical charge between clouds and the ground, similar to an electric shock from static electricity, but on a much larger scale. Depending on the difference in charge between cloud and ground, the resulting lightning can be either “negative lightning” or “positive lightning.”

The most common form of lightning is negative lightning. In short, this type of lightning is caused by the transfer of negative charge between the bottom of the cloud and the ground below. When this type of lightning strikes, there is a net transfer of negative charge from the cloud to the ground.

The other type of lightning, positive lightning, is less common but much more dangerous. In fact, the National Weather Service reports that positive lightning makes up less than 5% of all lightning strikes.

This is the type of lightning that was seen last night in Ingham County and other counties in southern Michigan, and many residents were awakened by the power and noise of the lightning.

Positive lightning is still the result of the difference in electrical charge between the clouds and the ground. However, this lightning originates from the top of the storm clouds, called the anvil. The distance between the anvil and the ground below is much greater than the distance between the bottom of the cloud and the ground, so more energy is required to transfer the electrical charge and create the lightning strike. In the process, an incredible amount of energy and electricity is generated.

According to the National Weather Service, positive lightning can generate a peak charge of nearly a billion volts! That’s about ten times more powerful than the more common negative lightning. The danger is further compounded by the fact that positive lightning occurs in the upper reaches of storm clouds, which often extend far from the main storm. As a result, it can occur miles away from storms. This often catches people by surprise, which increases the danger even more.

When it thunders, go indoors!